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Sunday, December 4, 2011

Pinspiring Me to Sew - Christmas Stocking!

Since this is going to be my baby's first Christmas, I felt it my duty to make him his own Stocking. I'm a sucker for free patterns (who isn't??), and I had recently pinned this gorgeous, free pattern which had been re-posted by Fabricworm (whom I've personally purchased fabric from in the past -- amazing vendor with an amazing selection of fabric at amazing prices).

So cute!

Last weekend, I took my awesome Living Social $50 coupon to my favorite local fabric store and used it all up on various fabrics, including some holiday themed fabrics.

Ready to Sew!

You may be thinking to yourself, "That's more fabric selections that were called for in the original pattern." How observant of you to notice! This is because I felt strongly about making a semi-patchwork/quilted stocking, like my mom made me when I was a baby (and I still have today):

Made by my Mama, circa 1978

So, I set to work, arranging my fabrics, and making sure it would be enough for the pattern:

Pleased with my arrangement, I sewed them all together, not even realizing that by using a 1/2" seam allowance would shorten this all by 3" in total.

Ever heard of "measure twice, cut once"? D'oh!

Back on track, I got down to business. The directions in the Fabricworm tutorial was super easy to follow. But, being the woman I am, I had to give myself a challenge. I wanted to applique my son's first initial on the stocking, so he felt special and knew that it was his stocking.

Cutting out the 'C' was not hard work, nor was zigzag stitching it to the cuff fabric. The hard part came when I had to draw on my engineering/architecture skills, which are basically non-existent, to understand how my 'C' was going to present itself right side up, facing the correct way. The cuff had to be sewn to the stocking on the inside, then flipped out and folded over.

Essentially, I did it wrong...a few times. I was this close to giving up on the personalized aspect of the stocking. Seriously, what kid needs his first initial appliqued on to his stocking? Surely if Santa knows when he's been sleeping, and knows when he's awake, he will know which stocking belongs to him as well, right?

I appliqued a patch of the appliqued initial on to a newly crafted stocking cuff. Yes, an applique of an applique. Winning!

The stocking took most of the afternoon from start to finish. However, had it not been for AppliqueGate, it probably would have been completed in less than 2 hours. Although he's not yet 1 year old, I think he will be thrilled with the final product.

Tah-Daaaah!

﻿

And although we don't have a chimney from which to hang it with care, I'm sure we will find a place that is just as easy for Santa to locate on Christmas Eve.